The present invention relates to a fireplace or woodburning stove accessory.
More particularly the present invention relates to a device adapted to assist in starting fires by blowing air on smoldering coals.
Further, the present invention relates to an apparatus to assist in cleaning ashes from around the fireplace wherein the ashes may still be hot or smoldering.
The present invention relates to a combination vacuum cleaner and blower designed especially for use around the fireplace.
Fireplaces and woodburning stoves are currently very much in vogue. For various reasons, it is often difficult to start a fire or to restart a smoldering fire. Typically the solution to this problem is to blow air into the smoldering fire. This is the purpose of the bellows used since ancient times. Fireplaces and woodburning stoves are also very dirty. Ashes created by fireplaces often are blown or pulled out of the fireplace and rest on the hearth and surrounding area. Bark and debris from firewood also adds to the mess. For this reason it would be very helpful to have a vacuum cleaner, especially adapted for a fireplace, one particularly suitable for use with flammable material. There is also a need for a combination vacuum cleaner and blower for a fireplace. It must be portable and simple to operate, preferably operating by flipping an electrical switch as opposed to mechanical manipulation of valves and vacuum hoses.
There are vacuum cleaners which are especially adapted for fireplaces. For example, Klemme U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,514 discloses a vacuum cleaner for removing ashes from around a fireplace. It is a very large, awkward apparatus which is not portable and does not include any blower which can be used to start a fire.
Of course, all vacuum cleaners are inherently blowers since the air sucked in must be vented out. Several vacuums are particularly adapted to be used as either a vacuum cleaner or a blower. For example, Eriksson-Jons, U.S. Pat. No. 2,024,367 and Landis, U.S. Pat. No. 2,969,559 disclose such devices. However, again, these are somewhat awkward devices and switching from the vacuuming mode to the blowing mode cannot be accomplished quickly.
Since any portable device should be hand held it is also preferable that the vacuum and blowing action both operate from the same end of the apparatus. This permits the handle to be constructed at the opposite end of the apparatus and comfortably fit the individual's hand. If the blowing action came out of one end of the vacuum and the sucking came out of the opposite end you would not be able to provide such a molded handle.